Excuses, Excuses

He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else. - Benjamin Franklin

A teacher’s worst occupational plight ~

all the excuses about homework at night.

Here I offer just a few

examples from those who didn’t do:

 

“Put it in the washing machine”

“The only pen I had was green”

“Brought home a comic book instead”

“Mom made me go straight to bed”

“Big dogs tore it in a fight”

“Had a soccer game last night”

“Aliens took it up to Mars”

“Left my backpack in the car”

“Lost my paper; glasses too”

“No one told me what to do”

“Went to practice for a play”

“Thought it wasn’t due today”

 

My personal faves, believe it or not,

Are the vague “I don’t know”

And the honest “Forgot”

Author's Note

I have heard them all... (Well, not the aliens. But I'm sure it's only a matter of time...)

Reviews

[Rocans]

Oh, I was quite taken aback by the Mars excuse! This one lifted my spirits a bit. Typical you Rita, the quirky voice and the strongly thematic write. I have that same problem with homework as well, the most frequent one is "Which homework?" which annoys the living daylight out of me. I liked it a lot, I definitely can relate.

[Rita L. Sev]

Oh, yes - that confused look, just like the one given when you say that it's time for a test and they say "We have a test today?" ;) Thanks, Rocans!

[Matching Socks]

Lol!!
Brought home a comic book instead, love it.
I went with honesty too back in the day:

What a shame it would be
To waste the last light of day
On something other than
Some fun outdoor play.

[Rita L. Sev]

I would actually love it if my students gave their excuses in poetic form... ;)

[Matching Socks]

Lol! :)
I bet your students adore you.

[Aehr]

Haha. I have this friend... (well he's not really my friend. Quite the opposite, actually) whose homework assignment actually got eaten by a dog. So you never know Ma'am, the kids might (just might) not be lying. Hehe. I loved the poem. It's cute, and honest, and I can only imagine how it must be for teachers. :)
Keep writing!

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Rhea! I actually do believe that dogs eat homework. Many years ago, early in my teaching days, we had a puppy who chewed up a corner of my Lesson Plan Book. I had to explain to my principal that the dog ate my lesson plans... Thank goodness we do these online now! :)

[Aehr]

haha, well I guess it's good that you do them online now :)

[quinfinn]

best one i ever used, and the teacher was so shocked she busted out laughing, was....."i could tell you but, if i did i couldn't let you live" i got an immediate "C" for originality. go figure...great little write, full of fun!

[Rita L. Sev]

Ha! I like that one! I would've given it a "B"! Thanks, Quin!

[quinfinn]

damn! you're welcome....

[Devanshu Rajput]

hehe...you wonderfully executed the excues that my I and my fellow classmates in front of a teachers....

[Rita L. Sev]

Maybe I even gave you some ideas... ;) Thanks, Devanshu!

[Devanshu Rajput]

yup....exactly.....welcome....

[Marie]

It got put in the litter box, and then...
You couldn't very well bring it could you?

[Rita L. Sev]

Haha! Was that your excuse, Marie? I can see I will have to have a talk with the naughty children at the WC!

[SteveB]

Thank you so much. This was a fun trip down memory lane - both my own youth and as a Dad. I truely enjoy how you can make a well structured poem out of the everyday. It is a gift.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you so much Steve! I really think the everyday IS a poem, just waiting to be unfurled. Glad this one gave you good memories. I wrote this quite a few years ago (just discovered it in a folder) and it's funny how some excuses never change - though now I would add something about the computer breaking down...

[SteveB]

The everyday is a poem but not everyone is able to see it. What was Woody Allen's line about life - "It is a comedy to those who think and a tragedy to those who feel" or something close to that.

[Rita L. Sev]

And poets do both - no wonder we are such a mixed-up breed! :)

[Rogue]

This was a fun piece to read.
Thank you for sharing it. :)

[Rita L. Sev]

Thanks, Rogue!

[Annabeth]

Haha!That's funny,the alien one is especially funny. I'll have to try this on my 5th grade teacher next year!

[Rita L. Sev]

I warn you, they never work! I never buy these excuses! Thanks for reading!

[Annabeth]

I know.I don't forget my homework any way.

[Frieda P]

Can always depend on a smile when I visit your page Rita...love the Martian one!

[Rita L. Sev]

Ha! Thanks, Frieda! I am sure that one is on the horizon...